Fish-bait.



1. w. DICKENS.

FISH am.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13.1917.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

11v VEN TOR.

' A TTORNLY to the body;

JOHN W. DICKENS, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

FISH-BAIT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented- Apr, 8, 1919,

Application filed July 18, 1917. Serial No. 181,298.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. DIoKENs,.a' citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fish-Baits, of which the following is a specification.

his invention relates to improvements in a'rtlficial baits for fish, and the objects thereof are to afford a bait of its class that maybe adjusted selectively so as to ride upon the surface of the water as it is drawn by its line or descend to an indefinite depth beneath the surface. The features of the invention consist of the peculiar formation ofthe headend of the bait-body, and the manner by which one of the hook-clusters is detachably connected to the bait-body.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bait with the hook attached to the body for underwater use;

Fig. 2 is a similar view in longitudinal central section, and with the hook attached for surface use;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device showing the manner of attaching the hook Fig. 5 1s a detail view showing a modified form of the link for connecting the hook to the body; and

Fig. 6 is a front end view of the bait-body.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring now to the same The body 1 of the bait is composed of wood and shaped with a rear tapering portion. The head-end of the body presents a flat face 2 that lies in a plane at right angles to the axis of the body, and-also a slanting convex face 3 that recedes from the flat face with which it is contiguous. The fiat face 2 encompasses the axial center of the body and extends to the perimeter thereof and a screw-eye 4 for the attachment of the fish-line is driven into the body at the head end thereof in line with its axis.

Extending through the body at a point back of the receding face is a tube 5, in the middle portion of which are made protuberances 6 positioned in opposite pairs. The tube is adapted to admit of the insertion to prevent its being drawn through the tube when the cluster is pulled into operating position. The opposite sides of the anchor rest between the corresponding 'pairs of protuberances so that the anchor is thereby pre vented from turning in the tube.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modification of the anchor in which both of its ends 11 are outturned and function in a fashion similar to that of the form previously described.

The intention is that the cluster 8 may be secured to the body so as to depend from the anchor at either end of the tube and changed from time to time from one position to the other, as it may be desired to cause the bait to ride upon the surface of the water or become submerged as it is drawn by the line. The cluster 8 acts as a Weight and holds the body with the side thereof to which it is attached'lowermost in the water. For instance: When the cluster is attached as shown in Fig. 1, the receding face 3 of the body is uppermost and the flat face 2 extends in the lowermost position. When the cluster .is attached to the body in the position shown in Fig. 2, the receding face is lowermost and the flat face extends in the uppermost position. When the bait is drawn upon the water with the cluster positioned as shown in Fig. 1, the resistance of the water to the face 2 obstructs the forward movement of the body and because of the receding upper face 3 the front end of the body becomes projected downwardly into the water and the body becomes submerged to,a depth more or'less extensive dependent upon its velocity. When the bait is drawn throug body to waver and followa zigzag course, and-the recedin face 3 tends to deflect the bod downwar ly. The entire weight of the ait is such that it will float at the surface of the water and therefore tends to rise its velocity. Thus, the operator, by manipu' h the water submerged the resistance- 100 of the water against theflat face 2 causes the 50 through the body at right angles to its a IIIIdBIWRtGI'OPQIatIODS, To change the polating the line may cause the bait to travel through the water at a depth according to his judgment.

-When the hook-cluster 8 is attached in the sition of .the hook-cluster, the anchor is dislodged from the tube. by pushing the eye 7 of; the shank up through the tube so as to admit of the easy withdrawal of the anchor from the eye. The shank is then withdrawn from the tube and inserted therein from the opposite end, and after reinserting the anchor in the eye, the shank is again withdrawn fi-om the tube and the anchor is thereby pulled into position.

The body maybe decorated by a coating of paint or finishing material with a coloring as fancy may dictate and may have attached thereto additional hooks such as the -tail-cluster 12.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, a floating body having a vertical opening extending therethrough at right angles to its axis; a hook-cluster; an anchor for detachably securing the hook cluster at either end of the opening accordingly as the anchor is.

positioned; and means at the head end of the body for the attachment of the line.

2. In a device of the class described, a floating body having a' receding face at its head end and having also a. vertical opening extending therethrough at right angles to its axis, one end of the opening being ad acent the rear end of the face; a hook-cl r; a U-shaped anchor having an overturnedend, and adapted to be drawn into the opening selectively at either end thereof and secure the cluster at the opposite end; and-means for the attachment of a line at the head end ofthe body.

3. In a device of'the class described,- a

floating body having a receding face at its head end and a vertical opening extending axis; an anchor adapted to be projected through the opening in the body;" a hookclus'ter adapted to be .secured at either end of the opening by said anchor accordingly as the latter is positioned in theopening; and'means for the attachment of a1.line"at the head end of the body. s: 1

43h a device 'of thefclass described, a floating body, the headend of which present in part a Hat face extending in a plane at right angles to the axis thereof and in .partga receding face contiguous to the for-v mer -face, said body having alsoga vertical opefiing extending therethrough; and do tachable means positioned in the-opening adapted for selectively securing a' 'cluster at oneend or the other of said opening.

5.1111 a device of the class described, a floating body having, a diametraLopening exteiiding therethrou'gh; means for the atthe opening and prevent the. anchor from being pulled therethrough.

6,111 a device ofthe class described, a floating body having areceding face at one endgand contiguous flat face atone end thereof and a diametral opening extending through the body; an open ended tube lodged in said opening and having protuberances therein positioned in opposite pairs; a removable anchor-wire adapted to be introduced from either end of the tube and positioned between the pairs of protubigrances therein; a hook-cluster adapted to be connected with and held by the anchor; and'means at the head end of the'body for theattachment'ofalinei.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 'in presence of two witnesses.

, JOHN W;.DICKENS.

-Witnesses: "I

MARIE A. HART AN, WALTER G. BURNS, 

